Lego Porn

It’s Lego’s 50th anniversary. Everyone is excited about it. Even Google did a Lego logo which tells you the overall significance and influence of the toy on the population at large. Gizmodo, another internet dynamo, did a story on the top 50 Lego sets of all time.

My brother and I were Lego junkies. We were more into the plain blocks than the sets, but we did manage to get ourselves a castle and some space legos. These facilitated inventing Transformers long before Optimus Prime hit the market. We would build ships that we could turn into robots out of Legos. The challenge of course was keeping these en tact as overall our Lego resources were not infinite and we both had a large desire to destroy one guys Krakkarakon to build our Lazatronatar.

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Subway: A Healthier Option for Kids…Also a Dangerous One

On a Saturday filled with errands, my wife and I decided to stop for lunch at Subway with the kids. From a marketing perspective, Subway has done a pretty good job differentiating themselves from the generic sandwich shop market by being the healthier option. “Eat Fresh” certainly keeps Subway above the “Mmmm…Toasty” and “Funny name, great sandwiches” that Quiznos and Schlotzsky’s provides.

We bought our daughter a turkey and cheese sandwich with apple wedges and an apple juice. That’s no comparison to the 5 piece chicken McNugget Happy Meal with french fries and a Hi-C orange drink.

My son got a salami sandwich with no cheese (milk allergy) and even though the meat was greasier than his sister’s turkey, compared to a hamburger, we were feeling pretty decent about our healthier choice for them. Read the rest of this entry »

“My First Spider-Man” Will Mess You Up

Meet “My First Spider-Man”, Playskool’s gateway super hero action figure for the toddler set.  Press the black spider in the center of his torso, and Spider-Man’s eyes light up as he enthusiastically shouts different messages such as: “Ready to be a super hero!”,  “Target practice time!”, and, of course, “I’m your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!”  He’s got an oversized head, hands, and feet for easy handling by your toddler.  Perhaps the coolest selling point is the web blaster feature.  Two white plastic webs slide into holes in Spidey’s wrists, and there’s a button on his back that launches them when pressed.  The danger in this toy isn’t from the force at which the webs launch (they pack about as much a punch as Ron Jeremy after take six), but rather from where the webs are left around the house once your kid has completed a round of crime-fighting with Spider-Man. Read the rest of this entry »

Planet Heroes Rule. Gowns and Crowns Don’t.

Having 3 kids and a former toy designer for a wife means a ton of toys in our house. And nothing beats the onslaught of toys that enter our household on Christmas day.

But when you bring in a bunch of toys there are sure to be huge hits and enormous failures. This year my wife and I….errr Santa….got my 2 year old son a pretty sweet toy. We also got a somewhat disappointing toy for my 5 year old daughter. Here’s my story. Read the rest of this entry »

Noodad Product Test Drive: Automoblox Toy Cars

Let’s admit it…one of the best parts about having kids is the ability to legitimately revisit (or is it revive?) your childhood. There’s no stronger bridge between our workaday, adult lives and the childhood our kids are having than toys. And even though for most of us, the old axiom of the only difference between men and boys is the size and cost of their toys holds true, no toy brings out the kid in us more than toy vehicles.

Not only do toys like Matchbox, Brio and Lego vehicles conjure up fond memories of our childhood but they provide an almost guaranteed connection with our kids, both boys and girls. Toy vehicles are a slam dunk when it comes to playtime.

There are a lot of toy cars and trucks out there most fall pretty neatly into one of two camps – build ’em yourself or don’t build ’em at all. The ones you build tend not to function that well as vehicles and the ones that come preassembled don’t provide the “make it your own” opportunities of the ones kids build. That space between Lego creations and Matchbox is now filled by Automoblox which are perhaps the coolest looking toy cars we at Noodad.com have ever seen. They’re an instant classic and if you don’t covet these cars by the end of this article, have your pulse checked!

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Should You Circumcise Your Son?

“It’s a boy!” announces the doctor as your kid bursts into the world.  Congratulations!  Deciding on whether or not your son will be circumcised just got bumped to the top of your to-do list.  You’ll get all the relevant information to consider from your doctor and/or maternity nurses.  You may discuss the matter with friends and family.  You may even consult the AAP to see what it recommends (after reading an 8-page PDF with about 150 references in the end notes, you’ll find that the AAP neither recommends nor discourages the surgery—Thanks, AAP!).  Like most parental decisions, this one’s up to you and your wife.
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The Complete Science of Scrubbing Behind the Ears

Your babies and toddlers are only as clean as you make them. This isn't because they do not like to be clean. It is because they simply do not possess the skills to clean themselves. For example, if your kid is like my son, he could eat a popsicle, have the sticky syrup drip down his arms, then go coat his arm in the sandbox like a Shake N Bake pork chop.

If my wife and I chose to ignore him in all his breaded-glory, he would not think anything of it. It is our duties as parents to remedy that situation with a one-way ticket to the tub. Actually, it is our duty to take a picture of him first; then take him to the tub.
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Toy Recall: Hasbro Team Talking Tool Bench

The oversize nails from the Hasbro Team Talking Toolbench can become
lodged in a toddler's throat, cutting off their oxygen.  Two two
year olds have died from this. 

Please always remember to follow the age guidelines for toys. 
Also, watch younger kids when they go into their older siblings' or
friends' rooms.  Remember, the safety of your children is
your responsibility.  Babies and toddlers love to put things in
their mouth.  Take it out of their mouth and tell them "no". 
Be stern and repeat.

For the full article see:  Hasbro Talking Toolbench Recall

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The Predad Dictionary Part 4: Doctors, Nurses & Specialists

As
a soon-to-be-dad you will be confronted with some terms that are
confusing, strange, and downright-alien. Never fear! Like Frank and
Buster of the Koala Brothers, "We're here to help!" I am proud to
present the fourth installment of the Predad Dictionary. For this
installment, we will concentrate on names of medical staff that you
will come across. These people will be prodding your wife and looking
into their holiest of holy places, make sure you know they are legit.
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Napping Between Dumbo and Cinderella

Vacations are a great way to provide your kids with new experiences, a chance to see parts of the world that they would otherwise not experience, and to spend time with family. That"s a lot for a kid to handle and most time it is enough to sweep the leg right out from under them. If you are on vacation, and your kids are young, it is really important to try to work in a few naps in the process before vacation goes all Cobra Kai on them. "Put"em in a body bag Johnny. Yeah!"

I spent last week trekking through the Disney Experience in Orlando, Florida. When you shell out $60 a kid per day, believe you me, you do your best to get your money"s worth. This meant, for us, to get there when the park opened and to stay as long as possible. And add long lines before  exhilarating rides and you get a series of extreme highs and extreme exhaustion.
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